Russ Reflects On Tuvok

Tim Russ (Tuvok) was very pleased with the way his character developed during Voyager's run, he told fans during a recent online chat.

"I'm very happy with the number of episodes that focused on his character," Russ said at StarTrek.com. "I think that they explored a very wide range of character elements over the seven years."

According to Russ, Tuvok became more 'human' during Voyager's seven-year Odyssey in the Delta Quadrant. "I think Tuvok grew up in a sense, became more aware of a lot of his past," he said. "He developed an understanding of human behavior and human characteristics. He even used some of those elements of human behavior himself on occasion. He was very comfortable with being Vulcan to start with, which allowed him the freedom to, I think, employ those human elements on occasion and to understand those human elements."

However, the pivotal experience of Pon farr was only featured as a subplot in the episode 'Body and Soul.' "I think that they were never going to focus an entire Pon farr episode on my character, because we'd already dealt with Pon farr in a previous episode ['Blood Fever'] and it'd originally been done in the first series," Russ said. "So they chose to only run it as a 'B' plot story, and I can fully understand, because we would only end up rehashing what we'd already done."

One chat attendee praised Russ as the best Vulcan, but the actor felt he couldn't compare to Leonard Nimoy's Spock. "I have to bow down to Mr. Spock, because he created the role and I think personally he added a lot to that character to build it from the beginning and I have to step aside for him. I think he was one of the strongest and the original character." Laughing, he added, "I'm merely a sequel."

Russ also complimented Jolene Blalock on her portrayal of T'Pol in Enterprise. "I think she's done a very good job of playing the stoic Vulcan and she's going to develop her own style of being Vulcan, which would be expected."

With his fellow Voyager cast members Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris) and Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres) helming episodes of Enterprise this season, Russ said he hopes to direct an installment next year. "I've spoken to the producers about possibly doing one next season," he said. "There is no guarantee, based on their schedule and mine, as to whether that happens."

The full chat transcript, in which Russ also talked about his hobbies, music and the possibility of a Voyager film, can be found here at StarTrek.com.